Seahawks tell LB Leroy Hill to take care of personal issues, not practice

Seahawks tell LB Hill to stay home

RENTON, Wash. — The Seahawks have told linebacker Leroy Hill to stay away from this week’s minicamp to deal with his personal issues.

Coach Pete Carroll said after practice Tuesday that he and general manager John Schneider advised Hill it was “best for him to take care of some things” rather than attend Seattle’s voluntary three-day minicamp.

Hill was arrested for investigation of domestic violence in the Seattle suburb of Issaquah over the weekend, just days after reaching a plea deal on a marijuana charge in Georgia.

The four-year starter with the Seahawks was arrested by Issaquah police and booked into that city’s jail early Sunday for investigation of assault in the fourth degree/domestic violence. He was taken into custody without incident. Hill posted bail and was released.

A copy of the Issaquah police report says the domestic issue with Hill’s girlfriend Saturday night stemmed from his alleged infidelity based upon numbers she found on the player’s cell phone. The report states both the woman and Hill called the police.

The girlfriend, who reported she’d been with Hill for four years, told police Hill pulled her down stairs by her ponytail in the home they apparently share. She said Hill left visible scratch marks on her arm, photos of which were noted to have been included in the partially redacted police report.

Hill told police he was sleeping when is girlfriend searched listings in his phone “and that she found out he was seeing other girls.” Hill reported there was “nothing physical” that took place between him and his girlfriend in the incident.

The incident could be an issue with the probation he received two weeks ago from a marijuana charge in Georgia. On April 1, Hill got 12 months of probation after pleading guilty to a charge of marijuana possession stemming from a January 2009 traffic stop in suburban Atlanta.

As part of his plea in Georgia, Hill agreed to complete an outpatient drug and alcohol abuse counseling program and 30 hours of community service.

Hill, who has started 61 of his 67 career games for Seattle, must also pay fines in Georgia totaling $500. He is subject to random drug testing. If he completes all the requirements in 12 months, he can petition the court to have the conviction erased from his record under the jurisdiction’s conditional discharge program.

The 27-year-old could be subject to testing and possible discipline in the NFL’s confidential substance abuse program.

Carroll wouldn’t comment Tuesday about Hill’s future with the Seahawks.

Schneider said Monday the team was “still in the process of gathering information.”

The first-year GM added “we are aware of the situation involving Leroy Hill and take these issues very seriously. We will wait to receive all the facts before commenting further.”